Pregnant Russians flock to Florida for sun, US passport

UNITED STATES/RUSSIA:

Relations between Washington and Moscow may be frosty but Russia’s middle classes have decided that one birthday gift is worth travelling to the US for: American citizenship.

In Florida, a lucrative ‘‘maternity tourism’’ industry is booming as expectant Russian mothers flock to the state to give birth. Specialist clinics say the benefits of having a child in the US include friendly nurses and a respite from the Russian weather. The biggest incentive goes unmentioned, however – American citizenship for the baby, and potentially the whole family.

On the campaign trail, US President Donald Trump demanded that the US end its practice of granting automatic citizenship to all children born there. Recently, he has attacked so-called chain migration, which allows US citizens to bring extended family into the country.

According to Florida property experts, however, flats in Trumpbranded buildings have become popular among wealthy Russians who fly to the sunshine state to give birth.

One Russian father, who appears to have stayed at the Trump Royale, a luxury tower block north of Miami, posted a picture on social media of his new baby daughter’s Russian and US passports. The caption read: ‘‘Hooray!!! Dual citizenship!!!’’

Having a baby while staying for about three months at a Trump property can cost about US$80,000 (NZ$110,000). Trump’s family business is not directly involved in the process and did not respond to a request for comment.

In a blog post, a Russian woman described having a baby in Miami. ‘‘Crowds of pregnant girls come here and then take away crowds of little Americans,’’ she said.

Russian internet forums offer advice on how to obtain a child’s passport within a matter of days after birth, and how to get a US social security number.

On the DeliveryinUSA website, some users expressed concern about whether their children, being Americans, would face prejudice in Russia.

One father wrote: ‘‘Of course there are problems ... your child will be the citizen of another country, which at the moment is the main enemy of Russia (well, maybe second after Ukraine).’’

In videos posted by Sunny Medical Centre, a business based near Miami, Natalya and Alexander from Veliky Novgorod said the city was ‘‘the ideal place to be pregnant and give birth – everyone is delighted with you, everyone congratulates you, everyone is interested’’.

The lure of birthright citizenship has given rise to innovative marketing ideas. Pregnant Chinese women have travelled to California to have their babies with companies that offer package deals including a trip to Disneyland.

Meanwhile, photos tagged with the names of Trump buildings in Florida and posted on social media show Russian mothers cradling their newborns. Other images show groups of expectant Russian mothers taking yoga classes in the Florida sun.

One company offers accommodation in luxury properties ‘‘some of which, like Trump Towers, were created by American multibillionaire Donald Trump himself!’’. – The Times